Law Tanning Company

The tannery produces chrome, vegetable, and oil tanned hides with at least 18 named leather products including Heritage, Haversack, Flexor, Honcho, Big Horn, 1936, Canyon, Eversoft, Florence, Forester, Fortune Latigo, Gizmo, Iowa Bison, Jawa, Palisades, Paloma, Portsmouth, ReFlexor, and Rucksack. Law Tanning employs 76 people at its downtown Milwaukee facility, with all manufacturing employees living within 2.5 miles of the plant.

Law Tanning Company was founded in 1936 by William Bancroft Law, Jr., who worked in tanneries before enlisting in 1917 and later attended leather-tanning school at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York after his discharge. Following his education, William was employed by Pfister & Vogel in Milwaukee in 1920. The Law family began tanning splits in Milwaukee in 1936, focusing initially on glove leather production.

In 1942, the Law family purchased the Cudahy Tanning building, and the company produced leather for army boots and gloves during World War II and the Korean War. Ten years after founding the original tannery, the family opened a grain tannery in Cudahy, Wisconsin in 1946. William L. Law joined the company in 1946 after his discharge from the 42nd Infantry Division and later took over management of the business.

The company consolidated its operations over time. The Cudahy Tanning Company was sold in 2007, and the Cudahy facility closed in 2008. Law Tanning moved to its current facility at 1616 W Pierce St in 1993 from the Atlas Building at 600 W. Virginia St., consolidating all production under one roof in downtown Milwaukee.

Law Tanning operates all production under one roof at its downtown Milwaukee facility, allowing the company to manage the complete tanning and finishing process in-house. The tannery employs 76 people, with all manufacturing employees living within 2.5 miles of the facility, demonstrating strong ties to the local community.

In 2019, the company made significant infrastructure improvements including investment in state-of-the-art equipment such as new sample drums and tanning equipment. The company also completed a complete rebuild of its on-site water treatment facility in 2019, continuing to invest in equipment upgrades and workforce training.

The company produces full grain cow leather, full grain and corrected grain steer, cowhide split and suede products, American bison leather, nubuck pig grain, and has capabilities in elk, deer, and kangaroo leather. Products are available for bulk batch orders or individual sides through the company's "IN STOCK" program, which offers quick-ship specialty items.

Law Tanning manufactures a full range of bovine grain and suede products along with specialty materials from uncommon animals. The company's signature product is Big Horn Bison, a trademarked American bison leather known for its texture and durability achieved through a proprietary shrinking process. The tannery offers at least 18 named leather products spanning multiple categories and applications.

Product lines include Heritage, Haversack, Flexor, Honcho, Big Horn, 1936, Canyon, Eversoft, Florence, Forester, Fortune Latigo, Gizmo, Iowa Bison, Jawa, Palisades, Paloma, Portsmouth, ReFlexor, and Rucksack. These leathers serve diverse markets including casual men's footwear and military footwear applications, as well as handbags, travel gear, firefighting equipment, tool belts, and small leather goods.

The company produces chrome, vegetable, and oil tanned hides, offering flexibility in tanning methods to suit different applications. Products range from split suede for chaps and saddle leathers to full grain materials for premium footwear and accessories.

The company has maintained continuous family leadership across four generations. William R. Law, known as BJ, joined in 1976 after graduating from Southern Methodist University. Ryan Law, BJ's son, joined the company in 2003 after graduating from the University of St. Thomas and currently serves as President and Owner.

The leadership team includes Paul Bell as Vice President, Joe Galaszewski as Plant Superintendent, Kim Galaszewski as Customer Service Manager, Natalie Prentice as HR Director, Arturo Alvarado as Director of Research and Development, and Hugo Perea as Assistant Plant Superintendent.

In 2020, Law Tanning announced an expansion project with a budget of $2.5 million. The company acquired property at 1875 W. Bruce St., a former International Harvester heating plant built around 1880, to serve as a warehouse for storage and operations support.

The new facility features specialized floor-to-ceiling racks designed for hanging hides and materials. The expansion was intended to increase floor space in the existing plant to allow for higher volume of production. The close proximity of the two facilities enables short trips between locations for efficient operations.